The most heartbreaking occurrence for any parent is the sudden, inexplicable loss of a child. With over 2,000 deaths each year of apparently healthy babies in the U.S. due to sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS ranks as the one of the major causes of death of children under 1. A recent medical journal article in The Lancet discovered E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus in almost half of the infants that had a sudden, unexpected death.

The steady hum of the florescent lights did nothing to dim the chirps and beeps of the array of equipment surrounding the seemingly immense bed. A small, fragile figure appears to sleep peacefully despite the battle being waged inside her 84 year old body. The doctor asks Samantha to step out into the hall for a moment, a concerned look on her face. "I'm afraid your mother has contracted C. diff," the doctor says with as much empathy as she can muster after another horrendous shift. Samantha's face quickly reflects a state of puzzlement, "What in the world is C. diff, my mom is just here because of a broken hip." The doctor quickly explains that C. diff is a type of bacteria that is attacking her mom from the inside. "We are doing everything we can, but I am sorry to tell you that your mother doesn't have much time."